Functional Regurgitation of Atrioventricular Valves and Atrial Fibrillation: An Elusive Pathophysiological Link Deserving Further Attention

In patients with structurally normal atrioventricular valvular apparatus, functional regurgitation of the mitral or tricuspid valves has been attributed mainly to ventricular dilation and/or dysfunction, through a combination of annulus dilation and tethering of the valve leaflets. The occurrence of functional regurgitation of atrioventricular valves in patients with long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation and atrial dilation but normal ventricular size and function has received much less attention, and its peculiar mechanisms still remain to be understood.
Source: Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography - Category: Cardiology Authors: Source Type: research